The final pairing of League Two and the Championship is already set when League One will face the first of the two finalists on Thursday night. In March, more than 80,000 spectators watched this game at Wembley Stadium. It was then the final of the Football League Trophy – a League One, League Two and some Premier League & Championship youth team cup competition. The “Black Cats” from Sunderland (5th place, 85 points) were then just under penalties. Such a holiday will not be repeated, because for one of these two traditional clubs, the future is another year League One. Only one club will travel to Wembley Stadium in a week and a half. Now in the League One Playoff semi-final second leg, the fourth clash in the past seven weeks awaits. This time the fans of the “Black Cats” have to take the 1,000 kilometers round trip to Portsmouth (4th place, 88 points).
Portsmouth vs Sunderland Today’s Betting Prediction
They are preferred between Portsmouth and Sunderland according to the bookmakers’ odds. Although “Pompey” lost the first leg close to 0: 1, but thus still had every chance to make the finals at home Fratton Park can accomplish. Both clubs had no problems with the scoring during the current season. Portsmouth scored 83 times, which means the league’s second most goals. Sunderland scored the third highest with 80 goals. This is Portsmouth vs. Sunderland our prediction for a tip “Both teams to score“. The away goals rule does not apply to the Football League play-offs, which is why there would be an extension in a 2-1 win by “Pompey”.
Portsmouth – Statistics & Current Form
In 2010, “Pompey” dropped after seven Premier League years in a row. The club was in dire financial distress advised and swept down in three seasons down to the fourth-rate League Two. The club was taken over by a supporters trust and saved from bankruptcy. In August 2017, the company of former Disney CEO Michael Eisner bought the club. Since then, Portsmouth has been sporting up again. After the playoffs were just missed last season, it should now go back to the championship in the second attempt. At least on Thursday, Portsmouth against Sunderland in terms of odds of numerous bookmakers favorite for a home win. Fourth place in four of the league’s past eight league seasons led to the rise over backdoor Wembley. Last season Rotherham did it. “Pompey” experienced ups and downs during this league campaign.
After just one defeat from the first 20 games, the team of coach Kenny Jackett had to wait for eight matches between January and February for a threesome. But with seven wins in a row between March and April, Pompey sniffed once more on the direct rise. These hopes, however, had to be buried abruptly when there was no victory from the final three League One games. This was Portsmouth, including the playoff first leg, for four league games no longer win (0-2-2). But coach Jackett knows how to get into the championship. In 2014 he mastered the playoffs with Millwall. Portsmouth takes part in the Football League playoffs for the third time ever. As a result, “Pompey” is now in the second, third and fourth highest league promotion games, making it the eleventh club in the world that has “made it” (Tranmere advanced this season to the tenth club). “Pompey” striker Jamal Lowe was directly involved in eight goals in his last eleven competitive games (five goals, three assists). The 15-goal man will play a crucial role on Thursday. We recommend Portsmouth vs. Sunderland with the betting base prediction a tip on “both teams to score“.
Best scorers in League One:
🥇 15 goals: Jamal Lowe
🥈 11 goals: Ronan Curtis
🥉 11 goals: Brett Pitman
Expected lineup of Portsmouth:
↳ MacGillivray; Walkes, Clarke, Burgess, Thompson; Naylor, Close; Curtis, Evans, Lowe; Hawkins
↳ Coach: Kenny jacket
Last matches from Portsmouth:
⚽️ 11.05.2019 – AFC Sunderland Vs. FC Portsmouth 1-0 (League One)
⚽️ 04.05.2019 – Portsmouth vs. FC. Accrington Stanley 1: 1 (League One)
⚽️ 30.04.2019 – Portsmouth vs FC. Peterborough United 2: 3 (League One)
⚽️ 27.04.2019 – AFC Sunderland Vs. FC Portsmouth 1: 1 (League One)
⚽️ 22.04.2019 – Portsmouth vs FC. Coventry City 2: 1 (League One)
Sunderland – Statistics & Current Form
For Sunderland, it went down in twelve months from the Premier League in the League One. There the “Black Cats” played football for the last time 30 years ago. With a new coach (Jack Ross) and a nearly new team, the football giant from the English north-east sought the direct return to the championship. Although the “Black Cats” had lost only two of 40 league games by the beginning of April, it was not enough for direct promotion in the end. In the meantime, Sunderland remained 19 League One matches in a row without defeat. But 19 draws (high) cost the “Black Cats” the prompt resurgence. Thus, Sunderland split in 41 percent of the 46 games draw. The five defeats in total were the least in the entire League One. Three of the five failures were in the final seven games of the season, in which the “Black Cats” only managed a victory (1-3-3). But the success in the playoff first leg travel the “Black Cats” now with a small lead to the South Coast, so a draw would already be enough for the final participation – which in Sunderland’s history this season should not be a problem.
First contender for a win between Portsmouth and Sunderland, according to odds of all betting sites yet the FA Cup winner of 2008. Sunderland takes for the first time since 2004, again in the Football League Playoffs part. At that time, the “Black Cats” failed in the championship semi-final on penalties to Crystal Palace. The fifth-placed League One managed, according to statistics, less than the other three places promotion to the playoffs (six times). Last time this succeeded with this table position Barnsley in the year 2006. With Portsmouth against Sunderland advises our prediction to a tip “Both teams to score“. Aiden McGeady – after the winter sale of Josh Maja with eleven goals top scorer of the “Black Cats” – fell out for the first leg and is also questionable for the Thursday. In addition, missing center-back Alim Öztürk after his red card in the first leg. Jimmy Dunne will probably take his place.
Best scorers in League One:
🥇 11 goals: Aiden McGeady
🥈 8 goals: Chris Maguire
🥉 7 goals: Lee Cattermole
Expected formation of Sunderland:
↳ McLaughlin; Oviedo, Flanagan, Dunne, O’Nien; Cattermole, Power; Morgan, Honeyman, Maguire; Wyke
↳ Coach: Jack Ross
Last matches of Sunderland:
⚽️ 11.05.2019 – AFC Sunderland Vs. FC Portsmouth 1-0 (League One)
⚽️ 04.05.2019 – Southend United Vs. AFC Sunderland 2: 1 (League One)
⚽️ 30.04.2019 – Fleetwood Vs. AFC Sunderland 2: 1 (League One)
⚽️ 27.04.2019 – AFC Sunderland Vs. FC Portsmouth 1: 1 (League One)
⚽️ 22.04.2019 – Peterborough United Vs. AFC Sunderland 1: 1 (League One)
Portsmouth vs Sunderland Direct Comparison
Head-to-Head: 38 Sunderland wins – 34 draws – 34 Portsmouth wins (106 competitive games)
Sunderland won the first leg 1-0 against Portsmouth last Saturday. For the “Black Cats” it was the first competitive victory against “Pompey” since January 2008, when there was a 2-0 victory in the Premier League. In between, Sunderland had nine matches without a win (0-4-5). In Portsmouth Sunderland could last win in November 1997. Since then, there have been five Portsmouth victories and two draws.
Portsmouth vs Sunderland Our Football Betting Prediction
All in all, Portsmouth and Sunderland – who, according to odds, the bookmakers are not the first contenders for an away win – played 32 times in a draw this season. Also in the first leg did not miss much to another draw. So the “Black Cats” with a narrow lead in the second leg and would be in a draw by.
Key Facts – Portsmouth vs Sunderland tips
⭐️ Portsmouth win four league games (0-2-2)
⭐️ Pompey and the Black Cats made the second and third best offensive of the regular season
⭐️ Sunderland passes a draw to the finals
We advise Portsmouth against Sunderland with our prediction for a hint on “Both teams to score“. The offensive was a trump card for both of them this season. At the moment neither of the two teams can call themselves. “Pompey” has been without a win for four games and Sunderland has also been without a triplet four times before the first leg win.
Betting Prediction: Both teams to score/ Yes
Odds: 2.00
